Princess Mary Gift tin: Private William Purves, 2nd Battalion Scots Guards

Embossed, gilded brass rectangular tin with a hinged lid. The lid is embossed with a profile of Princess Mary surrounded by a wreath. The letter M is embossed on either side of the wreath in cursive script. A decorative border around the lid contains the words 'IMPERIUM BRITTANNICUM' at the top and 'CHRISTMAS 1914' at the bottom. The corners and sides contain the names of Britain's allies between decorations of flags, ships and weapons. The nations represented are, from the top right hand corner, 'JAPAN', 'RUSSIA', 'MONTENEGRO', 'SERVIA', 'FRANCE' and 'BELGIUM'.

The tin contains a "bullet" pencil, still held in its original carboard retainer.

Princess Mary Gift tin sent to all Commonwealth soldiers who were serving at Christmas 1914. This particular example was sent to 4763 Private William Purves, 2nd Battalion Scots Guards, of Maffra, Victoria and is unusual in that it contains not only the "bullet pencil" which was characteristic of the content of some of these tins, but also the cardboard retainer that kept the pencil secure. This tin was sent home to his family with William Purves' effects after he died.

Private Purves was mobilised by the British Army on 14 August 1914 and embarked for France from Melbourne aboard HMAT 'Berrima' on 22 December. He was killed in action on 18 May 1915, aged 31. Son of Jean Purves, of Musselburgh, Midlothian, and the late David Purves; husband of Maud Esther Purves, of Main St., Pakenham East, Victoria, Australia. He is buried at Le Touret Memorial at Pas-de-Calais in France; it was likely he was killed in the heavy fighting at Festubert, where the British forces involved suffered 16,000 casualties.